1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and to a method for displaying a list of stored jobs to enable the confirmation, or to permit the changing, of a job, as well as to a storage medium on which such a program is stored.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional information processing apparatus displays a list of the names of files that are stored, and edits or prints a selected file. On the list, not only are file names displayed, but also the sizes and the creation dates of the files. To print a file, a printer on a network is designated for the transmission thereto of a printing instruction. For the transmission of data, a transmission source and a transmission time are set. Further, the same file may be printed and transmitted.
Conventionally, however, when a plurality of processes, such as printing and transmission, are to be performed for stored information, the information is not managed in correlation with either the processing type or the processing setup.
Further, during the transmission process, information stored in a transmission source apparatus is transmitted to a transmission destination apparatus. Therefore, when a user of a specific apparatus desires to transmit information available at a different device to another different destination apparatus, the information must first be transmitted from the specified source apparatus to the user""s apparatus, which then transmits the received information to the destination apparatus. For printing, a printing instruction, accompanied with print data, is issued by an apparatus, such as a computer, to a printer. Therefore, the printer cannot store or manage print information, and it cannot select and print information that is stored in a host computer or another printer.
In addition, an apparatus that a plurality of users can employ, or an apparatus that can access a resource that can be used in common by a plurality of users, examines identification information entered by a user before it will permit the user to employ the apparatus. In this manner, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized user from employing the apparatus, or to restrict usage of a function that is available at the apparatus in accordance with the level of a user. For a user who stores in an apparatus object information to be processed, the purpose for using the apparatus would be the confirmation, the deletion or the correction of the information rather than the setup and the execution of a new process. For a user who does not store in the apparatus object information to be processed, such confirmation is meaningless, and the setup and the execution of a new process is required.
However, the procedures employed for the use of a conventional apparatus are essentially the same for users, regardless of whether they have stored object information to be processed, although, depending on the user, some procedures may differ due to the above described restriction placed on the use of functions.
Computer are conventionally employed to exchange e-mail, to manage files and to schedule information. Typically, a software application for handling mail notifies a user of the arrival of new mail. However, the user must activate the mail software application to ascertain what mail was received, and must select and open specific mail to read the contents of the mail. Personal information concerning a user, such as mail or a schedule, is managed by a user""s computer, and can not be controlled by another apparatus. Furthermore, when storing a file, a user must create a plurality of folders, and must issue an instruction or perform an operation to designate the folder in which the file is to be stored. Thus, it is sometimes difficult to locate the folder in which a file is stored. In addition, conventionally, files and mail are independently managed.
It is, therefore, one objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method that render the relationship existing between object information to be processed and a process type easy to understand.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method that through the employment of an easy operation make it possible to process information stored in another apparatus in the same manner as is information stored in a local apparatus.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for easily changing the setup of, or for adding, a process for specific information.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method, in accordance with the status of a user, for easily changing a setup or for performing a new setup for a process for information.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method that render the management of mail and files less difficult than conventional apparatuses and methods.
To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises:
execution means for performing a process;
object information storage means for storing, together with a corresponding identification name and process type, object information to be processed; and
display means for displaying, together with the identification names and the process types that are stored in the object information storage means, a list of object information to be processed.
According to one more aspect of the present invention, an information processing method comprises:
an execution step of performing a process; and
a display step of displaying a list of object information to be processed, together with identification names and process types that are stored in an object information storage unit, which stores object information to be processed together with a corresponding identification name and process type.
According to another aspect of the present invention, provided is a storage medium on which is stored a program, which comprises:
an execution step of performing a process; and
a display step of displaying a list of object information to be processed, together with identification names and process types that are stored in an object information storage unit, which stores object information to be processed together with a corresponding identification name and process type.
According to an additional aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises:
object information storage means for storing object information to be processed;
apparatus selection means for selecting a local apparatus or a different apparatus as an apparatus whereat is present the object information to be processed;
display means for, when the local apparatus is selected by the apparatus selection means, displaying a list of object information stored in the object information storage means, and for, when the different apparatus is selected, accessing the selected apparatus to display a list of object information stored in the different apparatus;
information selection means for selecting object information from the list displayed by the display means; and
processing means for processing the object information that is selected by the information selection means.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing method comprises:
an apparatus selection step of selecting a local apparatus or a different apparatus as an apparatus whereat is present object information to be processed;
a display step of, when the local apparatus is selected by the apparatus selection means, displaying a list of object information stored in an object information storage unit for storing the object information, and of, when the different apparatus is selected, accessing the selected apparatus to display a list of object information stored in the different apparatus;
an information selection step of selecting object information from the list displayed at the display step; and
a processing step of processing the object information that is selected at the information selection step.
According to one further aspect of the present invention, provided is a storage medium on which is stored a program, which comprises:
an apparatus selection step of selecting a local apparatus or a different apparatus as an apparatus whereat is present object information to be processed;
a display step of, when the local apparatus is selected by the apparatus selection means, displaying a list of object information stored in an object information storage unit for storing the object information, and of, when the different apparatus is selected, accessing the selected apparatus to display a list of object information stored in the different apparatus;
an information selection step of selecting object information from the list displayed at the display step; and
a processing step of processing the object information that is selected at the information selection step.
According to yet one more aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises:
input means for entering identification information concerning a user;
permission means for, based on the identification information, permitting the user to employ an apparatus;
object information storage means for storing object information in conjunction with identification information for a user of the object information;
determination means for employing the identification information to determine whether the object information belonging to the user to whom the identification information applies is stored in the object information storage means; and
decision means for determining a post-permission process to be performed immediately after the permission means permits the user to employ the apparatus.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an information processing method comprises:
an input step of entering identification information concerning a user;
a permission step of, based on the identification information, permitting the user to employ an apparatus;
a determination step of employing the identification information to determine whether the object information belonging to the user to whom the identification information applies is stored in an object information storage unit for storing object information in conjunction with identification information for a user of the object information; and
a decision step of determining a post-permission process to be performed immediately after at the permission step the user is permitted to employ the apparatus.
According to yet an additional aspect of the present invention, provided is a storage medium on which is stored a program, which comprises:
an input step of entering identification information concerning a user;
a permission step of, based on the identification information, permitting the user to employ an apparatus;
a determination step of employing the identification information to determine whether the object information belonging to the user to whom the identification information applies is stored in an object information storage unit for storing object information in conjunction with identification information for a user of the object information; and
a decision step of determining a post-permission process to be performed immediately after at the permission step the user is permitted to employ the apparatus.
According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises:
execution means for performing at least one of a plurality of processes for object information that is to be processed;
object information storage means for storing object information in conjunction with a process type;
display means for displaying a list of object information that is stored in the object information storage means;
selection means for selecting object information from the list displayed by the display means;
instruction means for instructing a type of process to be performed;
determination means for determining whether the type of process instructed by the instruction means matches the process type that is stored in conjunction with the object information selected by the selection means; and
menu display means for, when the determination means determines that the process types match, displaying a setup change menu for the object information stored in the object information storage means, and for, when the determination means determines that the process types do not match, displaying a new setup menu for the process of the type instructed by the instruction means.
According to yet one further aspect of the present invention, an information processing method, whereby at least one of a plurality of processes is capable of being performed for object information that is to be processed, comprises:
a display step of displaying a list of object information that is stored in an object information storage unit for storing the object information in conjunction with process types;
a selection step of selecting object information from the list displayed at the display step;
an instruction step of instructing a type of process to be performed;
a determination step of determining whether the type of process instructed at the instruction step matches the process type that is stored in conjunction with the object information selected at the selection step; and
a menu display step of, when it is determined at the determination step that the process types match, displaying a setup change menu for the object information stored in the object information storage unit, and of, when it is determined at the determination step that the process types do not match, displaying a new setup menu for the process of the type instructed at the instruction step.
According to still one more aspect of the present invention, provided is a storage medium on which is stored a program whereby at least one of a plurality of processes is capable of being performed for object information that is to be processed, the program comprising:
a display step of displaying a list of object information that is stored in an object information storage unit for storing the object information in conjunction with process types;
a selection step of selecting object information from the list displayed at the display step;
an instruction step of instructing a type of process to be performed;
a determination step of determining whether the type of process instructed at the instruction step matches the process type that is stored in conjunction with the object information selected at the selection step; and
a menu display step of, when it is determined at the determination step that the process types match, displaying a setup change menu for the object information stored in the object information storage unit, and of, when it is determined at the determination step that the process types do not match, displaying a new setup menu for the process of the type instructed at the instruction step.
According to still another objective of the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises:
reception means for receiving mail;
management means for ascertaining whether a user has read received mail and for managing the received mail; and
display means for, when mail messages that the user has not yet read are managed by the management means, displaying information related to the mail messages using a display form that is consonant with a number of the mail messages.
According to still an additional aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises:
designation means for designating an apparatus to be accessed;
input means for entering a password of a user;
transmission means for accessing the apparatus designated by the designation means, and transmitting the password to the apparatus;
request means for requesting personal information of the user; and
output means for outputting the personal information of the user that is received upon a request from the request means.
According to still a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises:
file storage means for storing a file for information in accordance with a category that is based on a process type performed for information;
identification means for identifying a type of process performed for object information to be processed; and
storage control means for storing a file for the object information in the file storage means in accordance with the category that is based on the process type identified by the identification means.
According to still one further aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises:
execution means for performing a process based on a process instruction;
process instruction storage means for storing a plurality of process instructions;
search condition designation means for designating a search condition related to the attribute of the process instruction; and
search means for searching the process instruction storage means for the process instruction in accordance with the search condition that is designated by the search condition destination means.
According to again one more objective of the present invention, an information processing method comprises:
a reception step of receiving mail;
a management step of ascertaining whether a user has read received mail and of managing the received mail; and
a display step of, when mail messages that the user has not yet read are managed at the management step, displaying information related to the mail messages using a display form that is consonant with a number of the mail messages.
According to again another aspect of the present invention, an information processing method comprises:
a designation step of designating an apparatus to be accessed;
an input step of entering a password of a user;
a transmission step of accessing the apparatus designated at the designation step, and transmitting the password to the apparatus;
a request step of requesting personal information of the user; and
an output step of outputting the personal information of the user that is received upon a request at the request step.
According to again an additional aspect of the present invention, an information processing method comprises:
an identification step of identifying a type of process performed for object information to be processed; and
a file storage step of, in accordance with the category that is based on the process type identified at the identification step, storing a file for the object information in a file storage unit for storing a file for information in accordance with a category that is based on a process type performed for the information.
According to again a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing method comprises:
an execution step of performing a process based on a process instruction;
a search condition designation means for designating a search condition related to the attribute of a process instruction; and
a search step of searching a process instruction storage unit for storing a plurality of process instructions, for the process instruction in accordance with the search condition that is designated at the search condition destination step.
According to again one further objective of the present invention, provided is a storage medium on which is stored a program, which comprises:
a reception step of receiving mail;
a management step of ascertaining whether a user has read received mail and of managing the received mail; and
a display step of, when mail messages that the user has not yet read are managed at the management step, displaying information related to the mail messages using a display form that is consonant with a number of the mail messages.
According also to one more aspect of the present invention, provided is a storage medium on which is stored a program, which comprises:
a designation step of designating an apparatus to be accessed;
an input step of entering a password of a user;
a transmission step of accessing the apparatus designated at the designation step, and transmitting the password to the apparatus;
a request step of requesting personal information of the user; and
an output step of outputting the personal information of the user that is received upon a request at the request step.
According also to another aspect of the present invention, provided is a storage medium on which is stored a program, which comprises:
an identification step of identifying a type of process performed for object information to be processed; and
a file storage step of, in accordance with the category that is based on the process type identified at the identification step, storing a file for the object information in a file storage unit for storing a file for information in accordance with a category that is based on a process type performed for the information.
According also to an additional aspect of the present invention, provided is a storage medium on which is stored a program, which comprises:
an execution step of performing a process based on a process instruction;
a search condition designation means for designating a search condition related to the attribute of a process instruction; and
a search step of searching a process instruction storage unit for storing a plurality of process instructions, for the process instruction in accordance with the search condition that is designated at the search condition destination step.
Other objectives and advantages besides those discussed above shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which follows. In the description, reference is made to accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and which illustrate an example of the invention. Such example, however, is not exhaustive of the various embodiments of the invention, and therefore reference is made to the claims which follow the description for determining the scope of the invention.